TSX falls as technology shares drag

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(Reuters) - Canada’s main stock index fell on Friday, mirroring weakness in global markets, after U.S. chipmaker Broadcom’s reduced forecast and downbeat industrial data out of China came as fresh evidence of the U.S.-China trade war pressuring global growth.

* The Canadian dollar fell to a one-week low against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as U.S. data suggesting a pick-up in consumer spending boosted the greenback.

* The energy sector dropped 0.1%. The price of oil, one of Canada’s major exports, was also on track for a weekly loss on fears that trade disputes will dent global oil demand, though attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman this week gave prices a floor.

* The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.7% as gold prices hit their highest since April last year. [GOL/]

* On the TSX, 95 issues were higher, while 138 issues declined for a 1.45-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 17.84 million shares traded.

* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Norbord, which jumped 6% after BMO upgraded the company’s shares to “outperform” from “perform”.